A Sligo Farming official says the violent events that took place during a farming demonstration in Brussels yesterday will not deflect attention away from the purpose of the protest.

Michael O Dowd has been giving an eye witness account of what he witnessed yesterday in Belgium to Ocean FM News.

Hundreds of tractors have clogged the streets of Brussels and fires were set alight as farmers converged on the Belgian capital to protest against the contentious trade agreement between the European Union and South American countries.

The demonstrations erupted as EU leaders gathered for a summit where the fate of the Mercosur deal hung in the balance.

The Sligo IFA Chairman says it's understating that no farmers were involved in the more sinister end of the demonstrations.